Abstract
Mangrove species are keystone components in coastal ecosystems and are the interface between forest land and sea. Yet, estimates of their area have varied widely. Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data from ground-based sample plots provide one estimate of the resource. Initial FIA estimates of the mangrove resource in Florida varied dramatically from those compiled by other sources. Estimates of mangrove forest in Florida ranged from FIA’s less than 100,000 acres to nearly 600,000 acres elsewhere. FIA discovered inherent measurement difficulties, accessibility constraints, and adverse working conditions affecting accurate sampling and estimation of the resource. Reconciliation of these issues produced improved estimates. However, disparity with other estimates remains. FIA concluded that accurate assessment of peripheral margin-like resources, such as mangrove, must include methods used to sample any spatially limited resource of interest. Current FIA estimates show 238,000 acres of mangrove forest type in Florida with a sampling error of 15.48 percent.
Parent Publication
Citation
Brown, Mark J. 2015. Estimating mangrove in Florida: trials monitoring rare ecosystems. In: Stanton, Sharon M.; Christensen, Glenn A., comps. 2015. Pushing boundaries: new directions in inventory techniques and applications: Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) symposium 2015. 2015 December 8–10; Portland, Oregon. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-931. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: 303-309.